Targeting Seniors – for Real and Just for Fun

If America’s seniors really want to get at the heart of the ongoing political debate about our nation’s economic mess and the solutions offered to change course, yesterday provided a good snapshot of what’s at stake
House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan has introduced the GOP/Ryan budget and as expected it envisions balancing the budget by turning Medicare into a privatized program giving seniors a voucher (designed not to keep pace with their health costs over time) to buy private insurance. The new twist offered this year is a promise to also keep traditional Medicare as an option. Unfortunately, what that really means is private insurers will siphon-off younger-healthier seniors while older and sicker patients remain in traditional Medicare which will increase the programs costs, potentially limit doctor participation, and create a death spiral to the Medicare’s demise. Ultimately, the ideological goal of getting the government out of the business of providing healthcare for seniors will be achieved. The American Prospect offers this description:

“Most Republicans really do believe that Medicare is a vile, socialistic cancer on the American system, and things would be much better if it were privatized. The fact that Medicare works so much better than private insurance (it has far lower administrative costs, and its overall costs have been rising at a slower rate than those of private insurance), and that it's so popular, is just all the more reason why it's so hateful to them. Medicare validates the idea that government can do something better than the private sector, standing as a living rebuke to arguments they make in so many areas.”

And maybe this also explains while Congressman Ryan continues to conflate America’s retirees with the poor and welfare with Medicare. By lumping these programs together he attempts to paint a picture of Americans simply milking the system, which conveniently ignores the fact that workers contribute to Medicare. He did it again in yesterday’s budget news conference (25 minutes into this video):

“but we don’t want to turn this safety net into a hammock that lulls able-bodied people into lives of dependency and complacency, that drains them of their will and the intent to make the most of their lives.”

Now, Congressman Ryan knows that Medicare isn’t welfare. He knows that American workers help fund Medicare throughout their working lives. Still…the hammock analogy remains one of his favorite talking points. Now, consider the fact that on the flipside there were very few details offered yesterday describing the huge tax cuts proposed in this GOP/Ryan budget. This plan would provide even more tax cuts to the wealthy, an average of $150,000 for the richest among us, while also protecting tax breaks and giveaways to corporations reaping huge profits. The National Journal reports:

The fiscal 2013 House Republican budget proposal contains a tax-code overhaul lowering corporate and individual tax rates, eliminating the Alternative Minimum Tax, and repealing taxes associated with the health care reform law. This would result in $4.6 trillion in lost revenue over a 10-year period, according to the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center. That’s on top of the estimated $5.4 trillion lost by extending the Bush-era tax cuts. House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., on Tuesday called his plan revenue-neutral, saying eliminated loopholes and tax shelters would pay for the cuts. Pressed at a news conference for specifics, he declined to say which tax breaks he’d like to forgo. Ryan said he would leave that decision to the House Ways and Means Committee.

Simply put, this GOP budget proposes tax cuts for corporations and billionaires and benefit cuts for everyone else.
Speaking of billionaires…
One of Mitt Romney’s top economic advisors , Greg Mankiw, proved that what’s funny for the 1% isn’t quite so humorous for the rest of us. Mankiw posted this “joke” on his blog under the headline: “A Fiscal Solution”.

Romney’s staff says “obviously it’s not serious”. We say obviously it’s not funny either -- especially when you know that Governor Romney supports the Ryan/GOP budget which is a fiscal plan that threatens the health and security of millions of American seniors. That’s certainly no joke.

Comments

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What you didn't mention is that not a single penny of those cuts in Medicare came from seniors benefits. They came from hospitals, drug makers and other providers who negotiated those savings during the health care reform debate. The remainder came from private insurance companies who'd been collecting billions in over-payments from Medicare to provide competing coverage. Every single Medicare beneficiary paid more in premiums to pay those private insurance subsidies whether they participated in a private plan or not.
Taxpayers and seniors shouldn't pay higher premiums to subsidize insurance companies. If you want to argue that adding years of solvency to Medicare is a bad thing because we shouldn't cut these federal subsidies to insurance companies then we'd suggest most Medicare beneficiaries would disagree. http://www.ncpssm.org/news/archive/vp_seniors_health_care_reform/

Paul Ryan, Tea Partiers and Republicans would not be advancing plutocratic rule and their agenda to enrich the rich at the expense of Medicare and Social Security if Americans, especially old twits, were not voting for Paul Ryan, Tea Partiers and Republicans. You get what you vote for! The people in charge in Congress were not appointed and just appear there. You, yes You, voted them into office. Next election, take your brain with you to the voting booth and vote for progressive Democratic politicians who represent your best interests.

Congressman Ryan continues to make me increasingly angry with each miserable misguided attempt of his to cut SS. I've worked my entire life and have contributed along with my employers into my personal retirement account. I want it to be there for me when I need it. I wish I could continue this comment but my lunch hour is over and I have to get back to work.

In order for this nation to get financially sound again...major reforms will need to take place.
These reforms were outlined in the December 2010 Presidential Commission on Fiscal Responsibility...President Obama's commission. The report can be found at http://www.fiscalcommission.gov/.
It contained both tax reform to boost revenue and plans to manage the increasing Social Security and Medicare expenditures that are coming due to the baby boomers retiring.
Both sides, Republicans and Democrats, completely ignored the recommendations of this bi-partisan commission.
Why?
Because at the moment it is still convenient for both sides, especially in an election year, to 'kick the can down the road' and try to blame the other rather than do what is right for the American people.
And both sides are to be blamed.
Obama and Boehner.
Biden and Ryan.
Until we get politicians that are willing to show real leadership these problems will continue to grow.
I would encourage everyone to go to http://www.fiscalcommission.gov/ and read the report yourself. The most amazing part about it is the preamble...
"The President and the leaders of both parties in both chambers of Congress asked us to address the nation’s fiscal challenges in this decade and beyond. We have worked to offer an aggressive, fair, balanced, and bipartisan proposal – a proposal as serious as the problems we face. None of us likes every element of our plan, and each of us had to tolerate provisions we previously or presently oppose in order to reach a principled compromise. We were willing to put our differences aside to forge a plan because our nation will certainly be lost without one."
The last line is the most important one..."We were willing to put our differences aside to forge a plan because our nation will certainly be lost without one"
How many people think Obama actually read the report? How about Boehner? Biden? Ryan? Pelosi? McConnell?
My guess is none of them did.
Well I have...and it is one of the most fair and balanced approaches to increasing revenue and streamlining spending while at the same time not gutting the social safety net of Medicare and Social Security in place for the poor and disadvantaged.
In other words, it is exactly what Obama asked.
And that is exactly why it was ignored.
Except for the fact that it is being

We are fighting beside you! People For Quality Care is operated and maintained by a group of concerned homecare advocates who want to make sure bad health care policies (like Medicare's competive bidding) that have a negative effect on seniors and people with disabilities are stopped!
Our mission is to educate people who really on these products, their families and Medicare beneficiaries about health policy changes that affect their freedom of choice. We work with advocacy groups to effect positive change and to ensure that quality, innovation and service remain part of the health care continuum.
Millions of Americans rely on medically-necessary home medical equipment and oxygeen to allow them to live an independent lifestyle. Because of this equipment, they are able to live in their homes and not in hospitals or care facilities. Home medical equipment also provides them the freedom to take trips to the grocery store or attend public events. They can enjoy life to its fullest and be participants in their communities. For these Americans, home medical equipment is a vital part of their lives, and they rely on their home medical equipment providers to provide them with quality care and services to make their lives easier. However, because of a Medicare Law, this will all change. Access to quality care and services will be greatly diminished because many local home medical equipment providers will be forced to shut their doors. Additionally, freedom of choice will be eradicated and technology advancements will be hindered. They call it “competitive” bidding. This law requires providers to bid for Medicare contracts, with the right to provide life-sustaining equipment and services being retained by only the lowest bidders, many of which will not be local providers. This will have a very definite negative affect on people who rely on home medical equipment. We are fighting for your rights too!Together we can do more.

It is the people who paid into the system that will be made to suffer. The Trust Fund has become an entitlement program for everyone except seniors.
Raise the cap and tell congress to fund their welfare programs on the 1% dime and not seniors.
Wasn't it Ryan who collected SS at the age of 12 when his father died? Now he wants to disolve it. Typical GOPer.

The Ryan/GOP budget is simply another expression of the privatization policies of the GOP in general. Leave Medicare as it is---it works for many Americans and provides them with a stable source of healthcare. Medicare is not welfare-Mr. Ryan... keep your hands off of it.

Both the Republican and Democrat parties are going in the wrong direction. To SAVE the US entrepreneurial ranking, credit rating, stock market, the $, Medicare, Social Security, Medicaid and the police, fire, k-12 public school, library, military, defense and homeland security budgets while CUTTING government spending, debt and present tax rates without causing inflation or high interest rates; both State and Federal parties would be winners if they would compromise with the following strategies:
Create good paying American jobs with good benefits for American citizens by repealing all sales taxes and replace the lost revenue with an import tax/tariff on imported labor (India, Poland & Guatemala) & manufactured goods (Mexico and Communist China, North Korea & Vietnam). Repeal IN tax cuts for corporate/business income(25%), inventory, property and inheritance. Increase the federal income tax deduction from $5700 (2010) to $15000 for American citizens. Increase the IN state income tax exemption for non-dependent adults from $1000 to $5000, up to $15,000; depending on disabilities and age. All standard deductions and exemptions should be adjusted for inflation. Collect an export tax on natural resources/commodities such as coal, oil, natural gas & grains.
Repeal all wealthy individual, business and new development/construction tax incentives such as tax abatement, tax increment financing, grants, deductions, credits, tax free bonds, earmarks, loopholes and other corporate welfare that are shifting business costs and taxes to other taxpayers, exporting American jobs or creating poverty wage American jobs. OR, require these corporate welfare kings to pay a living wage, minimum wage of $15/hour with good benefits; adjusted for inflation. Repeal IN "right to work legislation". Collect mandatory impact fees (IN code: 36-7-4-1300, only infrastructure today); but, expand the code to collect impact fees for schools, libraries, parks, police and fire. Search for Brent Pittman Brownsburg, IN at flyergroup.com, LinkedIn.com and google.com for more information and details.

I received a mailing from this organization wanting me to join that included some of their accomplishments. Among them was "We helped convince law makers to reject $252 billion in Medicare spending cuts proposed by President Bush in 2007 - and again, when they rejected his 2008 proposal for Medicare cuts of $556 billion over ten years!"
Then They "worked very hard to ensure Medicare was improved and strengthened as part of the Affordable Care Act. They didn't mention that this law under Obama cuts $500 billion dollars from Medicare. I wonder how independent The National Committee to Preserve Social Security & Medicare really is.

But it's ok for the American people to pay their salaries and the best insurance and benefit program on the face of the planet earth. All the while bending and bowing their knees to the wealthy. I have no issues with the wealthy. We all want to be wealthy & corporate America. Seniors & Senior Vets when they retire should be rewarded by our government with every benefit they can give them without them every having to pay anything anymore.

I find this proposal of Ryan's a slap in the face of those of us on Medicare. We have paid into it all of our working lives and now he would like to milk it for his and the Republicans political purposes. If he gets his way I am sure the trust fund we know as Medicare will suddenlly become a piggy bank for the Republicans and their wealthy friends-contributers to their campaign funds. GET YOUR COTTEN PICKING HANDS OFF OUR LIFELINE/MEDICAREAND PAY YOUR FAIR SHARE!!!!

Romney just turned 65 he won"t need to take medicare since he is rich thats fine he can afford to do that but I guarantee if he wasn"t rich he would most certainly be happy to have medicare I think politicians should retire at 65 or 66 by that time their brains seem to go dim

I continue to be appauled by what is happening in our Country and to our citizens. People in power who are continuing to make the rich richer as the poor become poorer, the sick sicker, the elderly more vulnerable, are not using their wisdom nor do they care about what happens to us. I am loosing my Country............